A minimum of seven individuals lost their lives and a significant number remain unaccounted for following a boat carrying approximately 200 migrants trying to get to Europe sank off the coast of The Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight close to Jinack in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "grounded on a sandbank", the country's defence ministry announced officially.
Ninety-six people were pulled to safety and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the shipwrecked vessel that was bound for the Spanish Canary Islands.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African migrants attempting to get to Europe.
Almost forty-seven thousand migrants arrived at the Canaries in the year 2024 and figures suggest more than 9,000 migrants perished trying.
Rescue Operation
After Wednesday's accident, the navy began a search operation, deploying multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that came to assist, the military confirmed.
Reports indicate some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their identities are still being verified.
The remains of the seven individuals who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in grave health and receiving urgent medical care.
An Established Corridor
The Gambia is one of the routes taken by migrants seeking to get to European countries, often on hazardous voyages across ocean and terrain.
Recently, the European bloc has established pacts with multiple North African nations aimed at curtailing irregular migration.
